Using Social Cognitive Career Theory to Predict Self-Employment Goals

Abstract

Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, and Hackett 1994, 1996) proposes that career interests, goals, and choices are related to self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations. It suggests that peopleʼs self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations with regard to self-employment would predict their goals to become selfemployed. This study explores the ability of SCCT to predict goals for self-employment in a sample of 115 undergraduate business students. Results indicated that students with higher entrepreneurial self-efficacy and higher self-employment outcome expectations had higher intentions to become self-employed. These findings imply that educators and policy-makers may boost student entrepreneurial intentions by (1) enhancing studentsʼ confidence to succeed in an entrepreneurial career and (2) enhancing studentsʼ expectations of strong positive outcomes resulting from an entrepreneurial career

Citation

Segal, G., Borgia, D. and Schoenfeld, J. (2002), "Using Social Cognitive Career Theory to Predict Self-Employment Goals", New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 47-56. https://doi.org/10.1108/NEJE-05-02-2002-B007